The effects of participation in multicultural service learning with refugee and immigrant populations in undergraduate students’ self-perceptions of multicultural competence
Nadia De Leon,
Adjunct faculty, Department of Folk Studies & Anthropology, Department of Diversity and Community Studies
Doctoral student, Educational Leadership
Community Engagement Coordinator, ALIVE Center for Community Partnerships
Western Kentucky University [nadia.deleon@wku.edu]
Keywords: Multicultural competence, self-assessment, cultural diversity, global responsibility, quasi-experimental
Summary
This preliminary study evaluates the effects of a multicultural service-learning program on the multicultural competence of undergraduate students enrolled in Cultural Diversity in the U.S., a general education course at Western Kentucky University. Preliminary findings are the basis for hypothesis-formation for ongoing dissertation work.
Higher education in the 21st century has acknowledged the need to prepare global and socially responsible citizens. Service-learning experiences are one of the many pedagogical tools faculty utilize in order to ensure students meet such learning goals, particularly service-learning programs with minority and/or foreign populations. For this course, faculty utilize The $100 Solution™ program in which groups of students partner with local immigrant and refugee families.
This quasi-experimental study uses pre- and post-course self-assessment results that have been collected across two semesters with 253 student participants. By comparing information from students who complete the service-learning component versus those who do not, this study seeks to answer the following central question: Is participation in multicultural service-learning experiences positively related to an increase in students’ self-assessment of multicultural competence?
In the three-semester pilot stages, the researcher has been utilizing a modified version of the Self-Assessment of Multicultural Awareness, Knowledge, and Skills as the measuring instrument. The data analysis to date suggests that the course has a positive impact on the students’ perception of their multicultural competence.More specifically, the course’s largest impact is that all students perceive a greater increase in their multicultural knowledge (12.22% average increase as compared to 6.94% average increase in their multicultural awareness, and 6.5% in their multicultural skills).
Students who complete the service-learning component perceive a greater increase (9.44%) in their multicultural competence than their control counterparts do (5.70%). Furthermore, the most significant impact that participating in the service-learning project has on students is on their perception of their own multicultural skills (5.85% larger increase for service-learning students than for non-service-learning students). Service-learning students had an average increase of 7.66% in their multicultural skills self-assessment scores, whereas non-service-learning students had an average increase of 3.06%.
References
Anderson, P. H. (2006). Short-term study abroad and intercultural sensitivity: A pilot study. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 30, 457-469. doi:10.1016/j.ijintrel.2005.10.004
Chen, G.-M., & Starosta, W. J. (2000, 11 9). The Development and Validation of the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale. Seattle, WA: Annual Meeting of the National Communication Association.
Connerley, M. L. & Pedersen, P. (2005) Leadership in a diverse and multicultural environment: Developing awareness, knowledge, and skills. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
D'Andrea, M., Daniels, J., & Heck, R. (n.d.). Scoring Instructions for the Multicultural Counseling Awareness, Knowledge, and Skills (MAKSS) Survey.
Hammer, M. R., Bennete, M. J., & Wiseman, R. (2003). The Intercultural Development Inventory: A measurement of intercultural sensitivity. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 27, 421-433.
Kim, B. J. (2003). A revision of the Multicultural Awareness, Knowledge, and Skills Survey-counselor edition. Measurement & Evaluation in Counseling & Development, 36(3), 161-180.
King, P. M., & Howard-Hamilton, M. (2003). An assessment of multicultural competence. NASPA Journal, 40(2), 119-133.
Pope, R. L., & Reynolds, A. L. (1997). Student affairs core competencies: Integrating multicultural awareness, knowledge, and skills. Journal of College Student Development, 38(3), 266-277.
Sue, D. W., Bernier, J. E., Durran, A., Feinberg, L., Pedersen, P., & Smith, E. J. (1982). Position Paper: Cross-cultural Counseling Competencies. The Counseling Psychologist, 10, 45-52.
Sue, D., Arredondo, P., & McDavis, R. J. (1992). Multicultural counseling competencies and standards: A call to the profession. Journal of Counseling Development, 70, 477-486.
Taylor, E. W. (1994). Intercultural Competency: A Transformative Learning Process. Adult Education Quarterly, 44(3), 154–74.
Van Dyne, L., Ang, S., & Koh, C. (2008). Development and validatin of the CQS: The cultural intelligence scale. In S. Ang, & L. Van Dyne (Eds.), Handbook on Cultural Intelligence: Theory, Measurement and Applications (pp. 16-38). Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe.
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Nadia De Leon,
Adjunct faculty, Department of Folk Studies & Anthropology, Department of Diversity and Community Studies
Doctoral student, Educational Leadership
Community Engagement Coordinator, ALIVE Center for Community Partnerships
Western Kentucky University
[nadia.deleon@wku.edu]
Keywords: Multicultural competence, self-assessment, cultural diversity, global responsibility, quasi-experimental
Conference track: Higher education student outcomes
Format: Research/Scholarly paper
Summary
This preliminary study evaluates the effects of a multicultural service-learning program on the multicultural competence of undergraduate students enrolled in Cultural Diversity in the U.S., a general education course at Western Kentucky University. Preliminary findings are the basis for hypothesis-formation for ongoing dissertation work.
Higher education in the 21st century has acknowledged the need to prepare global and socially responsible citizens. Service-learning experiences are one of the many pedagogical tools faculty utilize in order to ensure students meet such learning goals, particularly service-learning programs with minority and/or foreign populations. For this course, faculty utilize The $100 Solution™ program in which groups of students partner with local immigrant and refugee families.
This quasi-experimental study uses pre- and post-course self-assessment results that have been collected across two semesters with 253 student participants. By comparing information from students who complete the service-learning component versus those who do not, this study seeks to answer the following central question: Is participation in multicultural service-learning experiences positively related to an increase in students’ self-assessment of multicultural competence?
In the three-semester pilot stages, the researcher has been utilizing a modified version of the Self-Assessment of Multicultural Awareness, Knowledge, and Skills as the measuring instrument. The data analysis to date suggests that the course has a positive impact on the students’ perception of their multicultural competence.More specifically, the course’s largest impact is that all students perceive a greater increase in their multicultural knowledge (12.22% average increase as compared to 6.94% average increase in their multicultural awareness, and 6.5% in their multicultural skills).
Students who complete the service-learning component perceive a greater increase (9.44%) in their multicultural competence than their control counterparts do (5.70%). Furthermore, the most significant impact that participating in the service-learning project has on students is on their perception of their own multicultural skills (5.85% larger increase for service-learning students than for non-service-learning students). Service-learning students had an average increase of 7.66% in their multicultural skills self-assessment scores, whereas non-service-learning students had an average increase of 3.06%.
References
Anderson, P. H. (2006). Short-term study abroad and intercultural sensitivity: A pilot study. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 30, 457-469. doi:10.1016/j.ijintrel.2005.10.004
Chen, G.-M., & Starosta, W. J. (2000, 11 9). The Development and Validation of the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale. Seattle, WA: Annual Meeting of the National Communication Association.
Connerley, M. L. & Pedersen, P. (2005) Leadership in a diverse and multicultural environment: Developing awareness, knowledge, and skills. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
D'Andrea, M., Daniels, J., & Heck, R. (n.d.). Scoring Instructions for the Multicultural Counseling Awareness, Knowledge, and Skills (MAKSS) Survey.
Hammer, M. R., Bennete, M. J., & Wiseman, R. (2003). The Intercultural Development Inventory: A measurement of intercultural sensitivity. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 27, 421-433.
Kim, B. J. (2003). A revision of the Multicultural Awareness, Knowledge, and Skills Survey-counselor edition. Measurement & Evaluation in Counseling & Development, 36(3), 161-180.
King, P. M., & Howard-Hamilton, M. (2003). An assessment of multicultural competence. NASPA Journal, 40(2), 119-133.
Pope, R. L., & Reynolds, A. L. (1997). Student affairs core competencies: Integrating multicultural awareness, knowledge, and skills. Journal of College Student Development, 38(3), 266-277.
Sue, D. W., Bernier, J. E., Durran, A., Feinberg, L., Pedersen, P., & Smith, E. J. (1982). Position Paper: Cross-cultural Counseling Competencies. The Counseling Psychologist , 10, 45-52.
Sue, D., Arredondo, P., & McDavis, R. J. (1992). Multicultural counseling competencies and standards: A call to the profession. Journal of Counseling Development , 70, 477-486.
Taylor, E. W. (1994). Intercultural Competency: A Transformative Learning Process. Adult Education Quarterly, 44(3), 154–74.
Van Dyne, L., Ang, S., & Koh, C. (2008). Development and validatin of the CQS: The cultural intelligence scale. In S. Ang, & L. Van Dyne (Eds.), Handbook on Cultural Intelligence: Theory, Measurement and Applications (pp. 16-38). Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe.
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